Switch stand and target



D. C. MULVIHILL.

SWITCH STAND AND TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED 0156.20. 1920.

Patented July 12, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET D. C. MULVIHILL.

SWITCH STAND AND TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, I920.

1,88% 1 4; Patented July 12, 1921 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- fizz/endan- DANIEL C. MULVIHILL, 0F HANNIBAL, MISSOURI.

SWITCH STAND AND TARGET.

Application filed December 20, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL C. MULVII-IILL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hannibal, county of Marion, and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Stands and Targets, of which the following is a specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to switch stands, and has as an object the provision of a stand having means to adjust the throw of the switch rod. A further object is the provision of novel means to operate the target; also means to render it impossible to put the target on its staff in such a manner as to give an erroneous signal.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a switch stand, the switch lever being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of two forms of levers showing different forms of adjusting means;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of a screw for operating the lever; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a stafi'.

The switch stand comprises a base plate 10, with a block 11 having a screw-threaded passage through it, and a chamber 12 opening into the passage for the reception of the staff operating pinion. The base plate is designed to be secured to the ties by screws passing through holes, not shown.

The switch rod 13 is adapted, by its reciprocation, to operate the switch. To reciprocate the switch rod a lever 14 is secured to the bifurcated end 15 of the switch rod, as by means of a pin 16. The other end of the lever 14 is pivotally secured by means of a pin 17, between a pair of links 18, which in turn are secured to a lug 19 on the switch block by means of a pin 20, thus constitut ing a lever of the third class.

To operate the lever 14 a rod 21, having a bifurcated end 22, is secured to the lever by a pin 23. To cause reciprocation of the rod 21 a sleeve 24, having a screw-thread Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1921.

Serial No. 432,084.

25 on its exterior adapted to fit the interior screw-thread in the switch block 11, is revolubly mounted thereon, bearing against a shoulder 26 on the rod at one end. A cap 27, reta ned on the end of the rod 21 by a cotter pin 28 passing through the cap and rod, 1s provided to prevent the sleeve 24 from moving lengthwise away from the shoulder 26. To revolve the sleeve 24 on the rod 21., a switch lever 29 is fitted to a squared end 30 of the sleeve and retained thereon by means of the cap 2?. Revolution of the sleeve 24 will cause reciprocation thereof, carrying with it the rod 21, which is prevented from revolving by its connection with the lever 14.

A. connection of the rod 21 to the center of the lever 14 will cause a motion of the switch rod 13 just twice as great as that of the rod 21. With the usual 180 movement of the switch lever 29 the resulting movement of the switch may not always be what is desired. In order to adjust the amount of movement of the switch rod 13, thepivotal point of attachment of the rod 21 to the lever 14 is made adjustable. To this end a block 31, having a hole 32 for the reception of the pin 23, is fitted into an opening 33 in the lever and supported therein by shims 34. The block 31 and shims 34 are retained in the hole 33 by the bifurcations of the end of the rod 21 passing on each side thereof. By shifting the shims from one side to the other of the block 31 its position in the lever, and therefore the movement of the switch rod 13, may be adjusted.

A modified form of adjusting means is shown in F ig'. 4, in which form the lever 14 is provided with a hole having a series of equally spaced recesses 35. A circular block 36, having teeth 37 adapted to fit into said recesses in any position of rotation of the block, is provided with an opening 38 for the pin 23, which opening is eccentric to the block. The throw of the lever 14 may be adjusted by rotating the block 36, which block will be retained, likethe block 31, by the end of the rod 21.

To operate the target or signal staff 39 it is journaled in the top and in the bottom of the block 11, and has secured thereon a pinion 40, standing in the recess 11 and meshing with worm threads 41 on the surface of the thread 25 of the sleeve 241-. To avoidmore than the desired 90 rotation of the target staff during the 180 rotation of the sleeve 24, without an objectionable number of teeth in the pinion 4:0, the threads ll are placed spirally on the surface the thread 25, thereby offsetting a portion of the longitudinal movement of the sleeve.

The simple form of signal or target shown is composed of four plates 42, each having flanges li), 44, at top and bottom, plates 45, 46, being riveted to the top and bottom flanges, respectively, of each plate, thus holding them in a cruciform position with their inner ends spaced to span the rectangular upper end l? of the staff. The target may be retained on the staff by a cotter pin 48, passed through a holel9 in the stalt'just above the lower plate 46.

A great defect in switch targets as heretofore constructed is the possibility of their being placed. on the stat? in a wrong position, thus giving a wrong signal. Ifnot noticed by the switchman the error may cause serious wrecks. Because of this fact it is the usual custom to send a man out to repaint them in site, which is an expensive practice and inetficient since the paint gets dirty before it can harden. To avoid this detect the present invention provides a staff having a rectangular target-receiving portion that is greater in one horizontal dimension than in the other, and the target is-made to fit,'thus making it impossible to so place it as to give a wrong signal. As a result of this feature targets may be painted and dried in the shop, and a newly painted one may be put in place of the dull one without possibility of error of indication. This feature of the invention is applicable to street marking signs and many other locations.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention without departing from its spirit.

I claim as my invention 1. Switch operating means comprising, in combination, a switch rod, a switch stand, a reciprocating member mounted on the stand, means to transmit motion of said member to said rod increased in amplitude, and means to vary the amount of such increase.

2. Switch operating means comprising, in combination, a switch rod, a lever of the third class for actuating said rod, means for actuating said lever, and means to adjust the relative length otthe arms of said lever.

8. Switch operating means comprising, in

' combination, a switch rod, a lever of the third class for actuating said rod, means at tached to the lever for" actuating said lever, and means to adjust the point of attachment of said means to the lever.

4; Switch operating means comprising, in combination, a switch rod, a stand, a lever for actuating said rod pivotally connected at one end to sald rod and at the other end said stand. actuating means connected to said lever between its ends, and means to change the pointot'connection oi said actuating means to the lover. I

(3. Switch operating means comprising, in combination, a block having an internally screw-threaded bore therethrough, a screwthreaded member operating in said bore, a switch rod, operative connections be" .veen said switch rod and screw-threaded member including throw increasing means, means for turning said screw-threaded member, and means for varying the throw increase aused by said throw-increasing means.

7. Switch operating means comprising, in combination, a switch rod, a switch stand, a lever having'an opening in its middle portion, said lever pivot-ally connected at one end to the rod and at the other end to the stand, actuating means for said lever, a block in said opening, means for connecting said block and actuating means, said blocl: adjustable in the opening to vary the position of said connecting means relative to the lcn th of the lever.

). Switch operating means comprising, in

combination, a block having an internally screw-threaded opening therethrougln said opening having recess in its wall, a screwthreaded member threaded into said opening having worm threads super mposed on its screw-thread, said member adapted to p.

erate a switch, a target staff, a pinion secured to said staff and standing in said recess with its teeth meshing with said worm threads, and means to rotate said screw-threaded member. l

t. Switch opera ing means comprising, incombination, 'a blccir having an internally screw-threaded opening therethrough, said opening having a recess in its walha screwthreadedmember threaded. into said opening having worm threads superimposed on its screw-tlu'ead, said member at apted to operate a switch, a target staff, a pinion secured to said stali and stancing in said recess with its teeth meshing with said worm'threads, said worm threads arranged spirally in the same direction as said screw threads to reduce the effect upon the pinion otthe travel of said threaded member, and means toro tate said screw-threaded member. s

10. In a switch operating device, in combination, 'a switch rod, a signal shaft, a fixed nut, a screw running in the nut and operatively connected with the rod and having Worm threads formed on its screw threads, and a gear fixed to the shaft and engaging the Worm threads.

11. In a switch operating device, in combination, a switch rod, a signal shaft, a fixed nut, a screw running in the nut and being 0peratively connected with the rod, and having Worm threads non-coijperative With the nut, and a gear fixed to the shaft and engaging the Worm threads.

DANIEL C. MULVIHILL. 

